The overall goal of the proposed International Conference on Dietary Assessment Methods is to enhance our understanding of diet and health relationships and facilitate development and monitoring of nutrition related health objectives through the use of better methods of assessing food and nutrient intakes. The need for improved dietary assessment methods has been expressed by numerous national and international organizations, yet there is neither a national nor an international forum for addressing methodologic issues related to dietary assessment. Because many countries other than the United States are involved in creative research relating to dietary assessment methodology, international participation is especially important. The conference will provide opportunities for discussion of the limitations of available methods and for presenting promising new research. Issues related to specific cultures, including non-western cultures and styles of eating, and methodologic issues involved in comparison of international studies will also be addressed. The application describes our progress to date, which includes the establishment of a domestic Organizing Committee and an international Advisory Committee, and selection of a faculty-of 15 domestic and 9 international speakers. Criteria for selection of abstracts and scholarship recipients, and plans for promotion and fund raising are described. Published proceedings of the conference will include identification of high priority needs in the area of diet assessment methodology, in addition to the presented papers. Successful implementation of this conference and subsequent conferences in the proposed series will lead to advances in diet assessment methodology and to more appropriate use of existing methods. Improved methods will enhance our understanding of the role of diet in the etiology and prevention of disease and thus will facilitate the development of nutrition policy and programs leading to improved health worldwide.